They really believe in active government and think it does good and valuable things. One of those valuable things is that government creates jobs -- yes, really -- and also the conditions under which more jobs can be created.
You probably read that and thought: But don't Democrats and liberals say this all the time? Actually, the answer is no. It’s Republicans and conservatives who usually say that Democrats and liberals believe in government. Progressive politicians often respond by apologizing for their view of government, or qualifying it, or shifting as fast as the speed of light from mumbled support for government to robust affirmations of their faith in the private sector.
This is beginning to change, but not fast enough.Dionne demonstrates here, almost perfectly, the difference between a pundit and a pol, or at least the difference between a liberal pundit and a liberal pol.
I'm guessing he doesn't recall that during the 1984 campaign, proud liberal Walter Mondale, the Democrat Party's nominee for the presidency, stated clearly and unapologetically that, if elected, he would raise taxes, the mother's milk of the Big Government he, Dionne, thinks is the solution. Mondale lost 49 of 50 states.
Among the most refreshingly liberating things about being a conservative is that you don't have to hedge, much less lie about anything you hold dear. Liberals by contrast, liberal pols anyway, know that in order to succeed they must, if not lie, at least learn to be very, um, nuanced about almost everything they believe.
Our President came close this past week with his statement that, "The private sector is doing just fine." He seems to believe that the real issue with the economy is the lack of government jobs. Of course if we were all government employees maybe they could pay us in script and force us to live in government housing and shop at the "company" store. Oh wait, we've tried that and who stopped it you might ask. If memory serves it was our Obama's beloved unions that put an end to that level of control. Forgive me but all I can say is.....God help us.
ReplyDelete"You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
ReplyDeleteAnother day older and deeper in debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store."
The "company" the libs run, or intend to run, is of course the national government and, do not doubt it, they want very much to own your soul.
Centralized power is dangerous no matter its locus.